Index rack



Sept. 27 1927.

W. P.' DE SAUSSURE, JR

INDEX RACK Filed oct.

,2 NVENToR.

f.) 'dc BY I A'TToRNEY Patented Sept. 27, 1927.

. UNITED STATES.

WILLIAM?. nnfsAossnnn, Je.,

1,643.54?v PATENT OFFICE.

OF ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

Application filed October 12,

rlfhis invention relates tov visible index and information raclrs of that kind in which a plurality of card-holders are arranged in inclined overlapping relation .in a rack frame' Aso that a narrow portion of card or sheet it Lwill always surely assume the desired po-.

sition with relation to the holder next 'bee low it, and that when a number of holders in the frame are raised for permitting Vthe removal or insertion of one or more'holders, thebottom one of the raised holders will, when the holders are allowed to drop down back to normal position, always come to rest in the pro-per position with relation to the holder next below.

My Patent No. 1,483,215 .shows an index rack of the kind referred to having card holders provided each with' an upwardly in-' clined rearward projection for supporting the holder next above and in which each card holderl is caused to assume a forwardly inclined position in the rack frame by the engagement of its lower edge with the rear ward projection on'the holder` next below it and the engagement of its own rearward projection with the back of the frame. `With this construction, a falling holder is sre t-o drop into proper position. with its bottom edge on the rearward projection of the" holder next below if the holders have, been accurately shaped andso long as they are not bent out of proper shape. 1f, however, the rearward projection of` a holder should be bent forward to any considerable extent, as is likely to occur in the handling of the holders, which are besty made of thin sheet metal, then the lower edge of a holderdropped ron such a bent holder mayeither` come to rest on the edge of the bent rearward projectionor fall behind it.

In an index rack accordingto the Apresent` invention, such ditlloultiesare overcome by providing the rack frame `with means for preventing the bottom edge of a holder from passing back of aplane in advance of thef r925`. lserian No. 61,927.

planel of :the bearing surface with which the rearward projections of the holders engage,

so that even if the rearward: projection of a holder is not accurately formed or should be considerably bent inward, it will still be impossible for thebottom edge of a holder dropped down jon' to such bent holder tov fallbehind the.k bent vprojection or to be stopped by engagement with its upper edge. Other features of the invention will appear from the following description.

An understanding of the invention .can best be given by a detailed description of a construction embodying the features of thov invention in an approved form, and such a description will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating such a construction and in which Fig. A1 is a front view partly broken away Of an index rack according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale and with the middle portion broken away taken' on the plane of line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view onlineB-S of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4; is a fragmentary rear view showing holders in position in theV frame and with the side members of the frame sectioned on line 4*/1 of Fig. 3.

Referring to; the drawings, the index rack comprises a rack frame 10-v and a plurality of card-holders, or index units, 20. slidably mounted in inclined overlapping relation in the frame. yThe frame 10 comprises a back plate 11 and two Yparallel sides 12 and 13 ex'- tendingforward from theback plate and each having at its fronty edge an linwardly extending retaining flange 14; Two spaced rails 15 and 16 extending longitudinally of the frame project forward a short distance from therback-plate 11 to rserveas back bearing members forV the bottom edges of the card-holders; The flanges 111y serve as frontl bearing members for the top edges of the card-holders, the holders extending in inclined position between these 'front and back bearing members. y

The sides 12and 13 O thel frame are n10-st desirably formedI of angle strips, one flatr-r portion, or plate, of; eachr strip serving as a side l2 or 13 of the'frame and havingv its front edge turned inward to form theilange 14, and the other plate of eachV stripbeingriveted or Qthelwise Secured, tothe back plate 11 andhaving at its inner edgez a forwardfVv leo no i

ly turned flange, these flanges forming the rails and 16. The rack frame has .a top piece 17 which may also be formed of an angle strip and may have a downwardly turned flange at its front edge for improving the appearance. The frame is also provided with a bottom support 18 which provides a rest for the lowermost holder in the frame and which is ext-ended upward to provide a front plate 19 to extend upward in front of the lowermost holder, covering the front of the lowermost holder except for a. narrow strip at the top in the same manner as each holder in the frame covers most of the front of the holder next above it.

Each card holder 20 is formed from a piece ofA sheet metal or other suitable sheet material cut and bent to form a plate 21 having a narrow forwardly projecting flange 22 at its top edge and an upwardly projecting card-retaining flange 23 extending upwardly from the bottom edge of theplate and parallel to the front face thereof, this flange be.- ing of suflicient width to hold a card, which may be a sheet of any suitable material and thickness, flat against the plate 21. The top flange 22 serves as a means for lifting a holder in the frame and also aids in retaining a card in position in the holder. The holder is of a length to fit easily between the frame sides 12 and'lS with the end portions lying behind the front flanges 14. In order to permit the holders to be placed in and removed from the frame when the frame has a front flange at each side, th-e ho-lders are 'cut away at oneV end from the bottom slantingly upward, so that a holder may be placed in the frame by inserting one corner of the holder under one of the front flanges 14 and tilting-the holder, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and then entering the other end of the holder under the opposite flange 14 and swinging the holder into horizontal position; The holders may be removed in a similar manner. Most desirably the holders are cut away at both ends as shown so that they may be inserted and removed by tilting them in either direction. lf the rack frame is to stand in a backwardlyinclined position, it'is not necessary to provide front flange 14 at both sides of the frame, and with a front flange at only one side of the frame the holders need not be cut away to permit them to be placed in and removed from the frame. l

Each holder has a rearward projection 24, which may be stamped from the body of the holder, and which serves as a support for the bottomedge of the holder next above and also serves by .engagement with the bearing face formed by the back plate 11 of thel fram-e to cause the holder to assume a forwardly inclined position in the frame. The projections 24 each has most desirably a short supporting portion 25 extending approximately perpendicularly from the plate 21 of the holder and a guiding portion 26v extending upwardly and rearwardly at an angle to the plate 21. The projections 24 extend rearward'from the holders suiiiciently so that when a hold-er is positioned in the frame with its lower edge resting on the projection of the holder next below. its own projection will by engagement with the back plate of the frame prevent the holder from tipping backward from its inclined position. Most desirably each hold-er has a single projection 24 positioned centrally of the length of the holder so that it projects backward to engage the back plate of thev frame between the rails 15 and 16, and the projections are best made relatively long as shown so that they shall be less easily bent out of form than would shorter projections, while at the same time affording a long steady support for the bottom edge of the superposed ho-lder.

The depth to which each card holder is exposed when the holders are nested in the rack is determined by the difference between the width of the holder and the distance between the bottom portion of the rearward projection and the-,upper'edge of the holder next below. rhe rearward projection of written or otherwise marked on their upper portion matter which is to be displayed, and, if desired, additional matter on their lower portion not to bedisplayed. Each card is placed in one of the card holders by inserting its lower edge portion back of the flange 23 and its upper edge beneath the flange 22. V

ln making up an index,'the card holders with cards positioned therein are inserted in the rack fram-e in the desired order. The holders are inserted in the frame, either one at a time or in bunches of several, as may be found convenient, in the manner above described, that is,by tipping .the holders edgewise and inserting first one end under a. flange 14 and then the other -end under the other flange 14, swinging them into horizontal position, and allowing them to drop in the holder. The first inserted, or bottom holder comes to rest on the bottom support 18, and each successive holder comes to rest on the rearward projection of the holder next below. The rearward projection of each holder causes it to assume the desired forwardly inclined position in the frame,

and as the rearward projection of each holder extends back of the plane of the bearing faces of the rails 15 and 16, and as the bottom edge of each holder is prevented by engagement with the bearing faces of the rails 15 and 16 from moving back beyond the pla-ne of such bearingfaces, therefore, as each holder movesdownward in the frame to its position of rest, its bottom edge must necessarily pass down into the socket formed bythe rearward projection of the holder lon licientunoccupied space being always leftl at the top of the frame to permit of the insertion and removal of holders when -desired. Holders 'may easily be inserted in or removed from the frame at any desired point in the index. Toremove or vinsert a'holder below the topholder, the 'holder below which it is desired to'insert agn'e'w holder orremove a holder is raised by engaging a finger or pencil point below its flange 22. his raises all the holders above the holder so raised,

:A new holder may then 'be inserted and allowed to fall into engagement with the holder below, or a holder or holders mayb-e removed. The holders which have been raised 'arethen allowedv to drop back to close up the column of nested holders in the rack,

Near its upper edge the plate 21 of each 'holder has 'one or more, preferably a pluralityl of spaced small projections or lugs 3l which b-ear against the card in the next holder to hold it in position flatagainst the plate 2l of its holder, and which also serve as spacing lugs to hold the upper portions of the holders properly spaced. These lugs are best formed by pressing them from the plate 2l.

lVhat is claimed is: y

l. An index rack, comprising `a rack frame, and a plurality of card-holders slidably mounted in inclined overlapping relation in the rack frame, each card-holder having a rearward projection adapted to support the lower edge of the holder next above, and the rack frame having a longitudinally extending bearing for engaging the bottom edges of the holders and having means whereby the holders are caused to as'- sume a forwardly inclined position in the frame with their rearward projections extending rearwardly beyond the bearing face of said bearing.

2. An index rack, comprising` a rack frame having a back formed to provide a bearing surface and having spaced longitudinal rails projecting forward from the` plane of said bearing surface, and a plurality of card-holders slidably mounted in inclined overlapping relation in the rack frame, each card-holder having a rearward projection adapted to support the lower edgev of the holder next above and to engage the bearing 'surface of the bach ofthe Vi'z'iranlie to cause y.the holder tovassume a forwardly inclined posi-tionin the frame'.

3. An index'rack, comprising a rack frame having'a back formed' to provide bearing surface. and having spaced longitudinal rails project-ing forward from the plane of said bearing surface', and plurality of cardholders slidably mounted i'n rinclined overlapping relation in the rack frame, each card-holder having an upwardly Vand rearwardly'A inclined rearward projection forming a sockety Yto receive the lower edge rof the holder nextk above and said projection being adapted to. engage the 'bearing' surfacev of the back of the` lframe between said rails to cause the holder to assume a forwardly inclined position in the frame.

4. An index rack, comprising'in combination a` rack framehaving a back formed to provide a bearing surface and having spaced longitudinal rails projecting forward from said bearing surface and side members each provided with Van inwardly extending front flange, and a plurality of card-holders slidablymounted' in inclined over'lappingvrelation in the rack frame betweensaid rails and said front flanges, each card-holder havinga rearward projection adaptedto support the lower edgego'f the holder next above and to, engage the` bearing surface of the back of the frame'between said rails to cause the holder' to assume a forwardly inclined `position in 4the frame. i c

5. An index rack, comprising rack frame having a side member'provided with an inwardly extending front flange, and having a longitudinally extending back bearing member spaced rearwardly from said front ange and a second longitudinally extending back bearing member spaced rearwardly from the first said back bearing member,

and a plurality of card-holders slidably mounted in inclinedoverlapping relation in the' frame between said front flange and the first said back bearing member, each cardholder having a rearward projection adapted to support the lower edge of the holder next above and to engage the second said backbearing member to cause the holdert-o assume a forwardly inclined position in the frame.

6. An index rack, comprising a rack frame having side members each provided with an inwardly extending front flange, and having transversely spaced longitudinally extending back bearing members spaced rearwardly from said front flanges and an additional back bearing member spaced rearwardlyifrom said transversely spaced back bearing members, and a plurality of card-holders slidably mounted in inclined overlapping relation in the frame between said front flanges and said spaced back bearing members, each card-holder having areal-Ward progill jection adapted to support the lower edge of the holder next above and extending rearwardly between said spaced back bearing members to engage said additional back bearing member to cause the holder to assume a forwardly inclined position in the frame.

7. An index rack, comprising a rack frame having side members each provided with an inwardly extending front flange and with an inwardly extending flange spaced rearwardly from its front flange and having al forwardly turned edge forming a bearing rail, and a plurality of cardholders slidably mounted in inclined overlapping relation in the frame between said front flanges and said rails, each Card-holder having a. rearward projection adapted to support the lower edge of the holder next above and extending rearwardly 'between said rails, and the frame having a longitudinally extending back bearing member against which the rearward projections of the cardholders are adapted to engage to cause the holders toassume a forwardly inclined position in the frame.

8. An index rack, comprising araclr frame7 and a plurality of vcard-holders slidably mounted in inclined overlapping relation in the rack frame, the rack frame having a back plate and side members formed by angle strips secured to opposite ledge portions of the back plate and having inwardly extending front flanges forming front bearing members for the top edges of the card-holders, and forwardly turned rear flanges forming back bearing members for the bottom edges of the holders, and each card-holder having a. rearward projection adapted to support the lower edge of the holder next above and extending rearward lbeyond the plane of the 40 bearing faces of said rear flanges to engage the back plate of the frame to cause the holder to assume a forwardly inclined position in the frame.

9. An index rack, comprising a rack frame having a longitudinally extending back bear- Y ing member and a second longitudinally extending back bearing member spaced rearwardly from the first said back bearing member, and a plurality of card-holders slidably mounted in inclined overlapping relation in the frame with their lower edges resting on the first said back bearing member, each card-holder being formed by a plate having a card-retaining flange extending upward from its bottom edge and having rearwardly projecting spacing lugs near its upper edge and having a rearward projection adapted to support the lower edge of the holder next above and to engage the second said back bearing member to cause the holder to assume a forwardly inclined position in the frame.

l0. A card-holder for a visible index, formed of a plate having a card-retaining flange extending` upward from its bottom edge and having one or more rearwardly projecting spacing lugs near its upper edge.

n testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM P. DE sAUss'URn, JR.

Certificate of Correction.

Patent No.. 1,643,547. Granted September 27, 1927, to

WILLIAM P. DE SAUSSURE, JR.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the abovenumbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 93, strike out the Words rearward projection of and insert instead indem cards 30 halve type; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 22d day of November, A. D. 1927.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE,

Acting 00mm/56871071121' of Patents. 

